Cash-strapped CF gets bucket truck from AT&T

October 2, 2012

By

DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

CENTRAL FALLS â€” The Department of Public Works is offering up a bucketful of thanks to some friendly folks at the AT&T Corporation who gave the cash-strapped city a used bucket truck free of charge.
Joseph Nield, Central Falls Director of Public Works, said that about six months ago, it was discovered that the city's lone bucket truck, a 1989 model, was going to need about $15,000 in repair work to its extension boom to pass the annual safety inspection. Given that the truck is 18 years-old, Nield said it didn't seem worth fixing even if the city did have the available funds.
Yet, the work typically done by the bucket truck: repairing traffic signals, replacing light bulbs in parking lot lights and other lofty locations, and doing tree trimming, was starting to back up. Largely out of desperation, Nield decided to get creative. He wrote letters outlining the city's plight to the top executives at a half dozen large corporations known to have a bucket truck fleet. He asked if there was a chance of the city purchasing a decommissioned vehicle for a reasonable fee.